The Cleveland Browns will be running out their third starting quarterback of the season on Sunday when they start Shedeur Sanders against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Sanders took the field at the beginning of the second half during Cleveland’s Week 11 game, which ended in a 23-16 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens. He replaced Dillon Gabriel as the starting quarterback after a concussion sidelined Gabriel.

Sanders didn’t have a strong performance, completing four of 16 passes for 47 yards, and didn’t lead the Browns to any points in the second half.

However, Sanders now has a full week of practice...

New England Patriots former quarterback Mac Jones is having a good season as the backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

Jones has started eight games this season, with starting quarterback Brock Purdy dealing with a toe injury, and has thrown for 2,251 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions.

However, with Purdy returning last week and with Jones likely only going to see the field again due to a Purdy injury, his days in the Bay Area could be coming to an end soon.

San Francisco 49ers On SI writer Grant Cohn named possible teams Jones could be traded to...

The New England Patriots picked up another game in the AFC race Thursday night as the Buffalo Bills were stunned on the road in a 23-19 loss to the Houston Texans.

The Bills dropped to 7-4 on the season. More alarming than the Bills dropping two of the last three is the postseason position they are putting themselves in.

Highmark Stadium in Buffalo is a notoriously hard place to play. But with four losses and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and a rematch with the Patriots remaining on Buffalo’s schedule, the Bills are not in an advantageous position to host...

Heading into Week 12, the New England Patriots are in a pretty good position from a health perspective. The only two major injuries they are dealing with currently involve defensive tackle Milton Williams and running back Antonio Gibson, with the latter being out for the season.

In Gibson’s absence, the Pats have been piecing together their running back depth, especially with Rhamondre Stevenson missing the past three games due to a toe injury. Before the trade deadline rolled around, one potential trade target for New England was Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce.

At one point, Pierce was the Texans’...

The New England Patriots will face a beat up and historically bad Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 12.

Cincinnati ruled out superstar defensive end Trey Hendrickson on Friday, which will only exacerbate its problems.

Sports Illustrated Bengals writer Jay Morrison explained just how bad head coach Zac Taylor’s defense has been this season in a discussion with Patriots insider Tom E. Curran on the “Patriots Talk Podcast.”

“No team in NFL history has finished last in passing yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and points allowed. And they are 32nd, 32nd and 31st in those three categories,” Morrison said. “Right now,...

The Cincinnati Bengals have yet to reveal whether Joe Flacco or Joe Burrow will start Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.

Burrow has practiced all week, but the Bengals listed the star quarterback as questionable for the Week 12 clash. He hasn’t played since suffering a toe injury in the season’s second game.

The Bengals could be concealing their hand to force the Patriots to prepare for both signal-callers. Veteran cornerback Carlton Davis III discussed the differences between Flacco and Burrow on Friday.

“I would just say, one holds the ball longer than the other,” Davis told reporters. “Joe...

The New England Patriots will visit the Cincinnati Bengals down one.

But running back Rhamondre Stevenson and outside linebacker Harold Landry III move forward as questionable for the matchup at Paycor Stadium. While working through toe and knee injuries, respectively, both starters finished the week as full participants.

Here’s the rest of the game statuses heading into Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff.

OUT

Patriots

• LB Jahlani Tavai (not injury related — personal)

Bengals

• DE Trey Hendrickson (hip, pelvis)
• DE Cam Sample (oblique)
• CB Cam Taylor-Britt (foot — placed on IR)

New England will...

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will play on Sunday against the New England Patriots — or maybe he won’t.

It’s all dependant on who you ask…

Burrow, who underwent toe surgery after suffering an injury on Sept. 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, is eligible to return from injured reserve at any point before Dec. 1 — having already started the clock on his return window. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has remained relatively quiet with regard to his quarterback’s eventual return, but given the fact he’s commanded first-team reps and has been a full participant in practices, many believe he’ll...

ESPN’s Mina Kimes said on Tuesday that the New England Patriots’ pass defense could be an issue as the team makes a possible push toward another Super Bowl appearance.

Patriots insider Chad Graff of The Athletic identified “five potential red flags” for New England on Friday, ahead of the playoffs this winter, including the group’s offensive-line depth.

Graff noted that while he doesn’t see it as a problem yet, it could become a concern eventually.

“The turnaround by the Patriots offensive line is one of the most remarkable aspects of this incredible season. The unit has gone from the league’s...

The New England Patriots will seek their ninth straight win when they oppose the 3-7 Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Despite the vast record discrepancy, an ESPN projection model suggests the matchup is closer than it appears.

ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives the Patriots a 52.5 percent chance to defeat the Bengals in Week 12. That’s a modest number given New England’s -370 moneyline, which implies a 78.7 percent win probability.

The Patriots are currently a seven-point favorite on the road, but that could change if Joe Burrow returns from a toe injury that’s sidelined him since Week 2. The Bengals listed...

The New England Patriots are set to welcome back some offensive reinforcements this Sunday.

Mike Vrabel told reporters on Friday, per WEEI’s Tom Carroll, that Jahlani Tavai is the only Patriots player carrying an injury designation for their Week 12 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The linebacker will miss the AFC matchup due to personal reasons.

Barring a setback, Rhamondre Stevenson and Kayshon Boutte are thus cleared to return this Sunday.

Stevenson has missed the last three games with a toe injury. Vrabel said the running back “responded well” in practice this week and is trending toward playing.

The question...

The New England Patriots still don’t know whether they’ll be facing Joe Burrow or Joe Flacco on Sunday in their Week 12 matchup vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals did, however, rule out All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson on Friday and are listing former Patriots tight end Mike Gesicki as questionable.

“Trey Hendrickson will be out, Mike Gesicki questionable, Samaje Perine doubtful. #Bengals,” freelance Bengals writer Laurel Pfahler posted on X.

The news on Hendrickson isn’t surprising, as the edge rusher was listed as doubtful on Monday due to a hip injury. The 30-year-old hasn’t played since Week 8 because...